SUMMER…..What better time of year is there for us to introduce a series of posts on seasonal Perth produce?

With most households busy preparing for the Christmas festivities at this time of the year, hopefully I can help take some of the drama out of your shopping and your lunch prep by letting you know what’s in season at the moment, together with one of my favourite recipes that your family are sure to love.

Shopping and cooking in season may even save you a dollar or two on your weekly budget.

In Perth, at this time of year, there is a wonderful choice of stoned fruits, berries, melons and cherries on the green grocer’s shelf. With the wonderful range of summer fruits available, now is the time to impress with perhaps a wonderful mango salad, an impressive passion fruit and strawberry pavlova, or just a colourful fresh fruit salad for the healthy eaters in the family.

There is no shortage of the usual vegetables also available but, this season, why not experiment a little with parsnips, radishes or beetroot - if you dare. Why not think outside the box for your dinner table this holiday season.

Summer fruits in season now

Royal Gala apples

apricots

avocado

bananas

cherries

grapes

mangoes

rock melon

water melon

nectarines

passion fruit

paw paw

peaches

plums

rhubarb

strawberries

Avocado

This little beauty is a unique type of fruit, high in antioxidants and healthy fats and known to have powerful beneficial effects on health. That said, avocado is also delicious…….

fabulous in salads, great with Mexican food and, in case you haven’t tried it yet, you just can’t beat it on toast.

One of my all time favourites, succulent mangoes epitomise the Perth summer season. They can be a bit on the expensive side compared to other fruits, but for a treat now and then I don’t think you can beat a juicy, ripe mango.

Great in salads, delicious in desserts but especially great eaten on their own.

There is a knack to elegantly peeling and serving a mango but perhaps I’ll leave that for another post.

Strawberries

If mangoes epitomise a Perth summer, strawberries shout it from the roof tops.

Strawberry pavlova, strawberries and cream, strawberry daiquiri, fresh fruit strawberry salad. Strawberries definitely cannot be beaten. Strawberry anything is a winner with me and at this time of year strawberries won’t break the bank.

Summer vegetables in season now

beans

beetroot

broccoli

cabbage

carrots

celery

chillies

cucumber

lettuce

onions

parsnips

peas

potatoes

pumpkin

radish

silver beets

spring inions

squash

sweet corn

tomatoes

turnip

zucchini

Beetroot

Roasted beetroot, beetroot salad, beetroot relish, beetroot juice…..

and the “beat” goes on…. (sorry)

Soooo many exciting recipes available for beetroot.

Beetroot has been gaining in popularity as a new super food in recent times, with studies claiming that beetroot and beetroot juice can improve athletic performance, lower blood pressure and increase blood flow.

Delicious raw, roasted or pickled, perhaps this is one of those new tries for this year’s festive table.

Parsnips

A relative of the humble carrot, parsnips are great mashed, roasted, in soups or salads. Sweet and juicy, parsnips are one of the excellent sources of dietary fibre.

Broccoli

Another one of the super foods (broccoli has unique anti-inflammatory benefits), it would appear that even kids will eat their broccoli these days.

There are 101 recipes for this beautiful vegetable, raw or roasted, salads or stir fries (broccoli is especially tasty in Asian dishes), steamed or sautéed, all of them sure to please even the fussiest of eaters.

Broccoli is definitely a must for the Christmas dinner table.

And there you have it….. Just an example of what is fresh and in season this Summer in Perth.